ALEX'S BAD DREAMS
Disclaimer: The Mummy and TMR are soul properties of Universal Studios, and Stephen Sommers, and are not my own.
Chapter 5: Found
It took another day of travel, but Alex and Megan made it to Karnac. Now he showed her around, telling her about what had happened to him while he was here.
"Were you afraid of Imhotep?" She asked. He had told her about escaping the train, which oddly enough was still there, and how the priest had used some sort of power to lift him off the ground.
"Not really of him. The first time I saw him, I figured he would kill me, but then I had to guess that they needed me to find the Oasis, so I stopped being afraid." He showed her where they had chained him, and a little bit remained of the sand castle he had made, to lead his parents to the next destination. He showed her the dark pool that Imhotep had walked across, then they went to one of the fresh canals, and splashed each other, then played chase, and hide and
seek. When night fell, Alex made them another fire, and they sat around it eating rice.
"We should have gotten more of a variety of food," Megan complained. She was tired of eating the same thing all the time. Truthfully so was Alex.
"Do you think your parents have figured out where your are?" Megan asked him.
"Maybe, but if they have they should be pretty far behind us." They told ghost stories, which scared them a little, then went to bed to rest before the next days journey.
Later that night, Alex had a terrifying dream. He dreamed that he and Megan arrived at Ahm-Shere, and found it still there, and that the pygmies had caught them and were using them as food. He woke up sitting straight up breathing hard.
"Alex?" Megan asked, in a tired voice. He got up.
"We need to go now." She got up and they packed, and despite it being dark, loaded up the Camel, and left. Riding under the stars was a new experience for both of them, and one that Alex liked. It made him feel like they were a part of space.
It was that next morning, only hours after the children had left, that Rick and his group arrived. They searched around, and found a place where a recent fire and been burning.
"We're so close," Evelyn said. They all got back on their horses, and Camels, and the Med-jai decided to take them the most direct route to where Ahm-Shere had once been. They reasoned that Alex would do the same, and hoped that by nightfall they would find the Children.
Alex didn't want to admit it, but he knew they were lost, and that was a bad thing. He thought he could get them there without going to each landmark, and temple, but he had been wrong.
"Shouldn't we be there by now?" Megan asked, worry tingeing her voice.
"It should be just up over that rise," Alex pointed to the dunes they saw off in the distance, and got the Camel to travel faster. They arrived up, and over the dunes to find more endless desert.
"You got us lost didn't you?" Megan asked beginning to panic.
"Not yet, we just have to keep going is all. I figured it would only take us a half a day, so its going to take us a little longer." He hid his panic well, and they kept riding till night fell. When they had not found anything Megan who was, and had been brave, throughout this adventure started to cry. Alex tried to hug her and she pushed him away nearly knocking him off of the camel.
"I can't believe I actually came here with you," she practically screamed, as they got of the Camel.
"Well fine then go back the way we came. I know we will find it tomorrow." They set up two tents this time, and Megan went in to hers, telling Alex not to come anywhere near her. Now Alex sat by the fire trying to figure out where he had gone wrong. He finally fell asleep under the stars, and at least for a little bit things were all right.
The Med- jai led the O'Connells, to the place where the Oasis had once been, but there was no sign of the children, which meant they had lost their way. Ardeth Bay had brought several of his young warriors with him, and split them into groups. One would go to the Island temple, or in that general direction, and one would go to the other temple, the last stop before they had reached Ahm-Shere.
That left he, and the O'Connells, and he suggested that they double back.
The next morning, Megan was still not speaking to him. It was no fun, not to have her to talk to. It was about Midday when a problem arose. Off in the distance they saw what looked like fog, and Alex knew that it wasn't fog, but a sand storm. He commanded his camel to stop and lay down, and got off which got Megan's attention.
"Look I know your mad at me, but that fog looking stuff is a sand storm, and we have to share a tent because when that thing hits we are in serious trouble.
"What about our camel." Alex had not thought about that. It was too big to put it in the tent with them, and by the time they got it set up and were in it the Sand storm hit full force. They held the tent down and kept blankets over their heads. It seemed to last forever, but finally it settled down. When they uncovered themselves sand was everywhere on them. They got out of the tent, and did not find their camel, and Megan started to cry.
"Don't touch me. I don't want to die Alex.
"We won't die, we just have to keep our heads up," He tried. Aside from the tent and the blankets, there were no more supplies, and Alex knew they were in trouble. He took charge and told her they needed to stay in their tent by day, because the heat was at its worst, and then they would travel by night.
A night and day passed, and both children were exhausted and hungry, and thirsty. When they set up camp this time, neither of them had trouble falling asleep. It wasn't long after they had gone to sleep, that a group of Med jai, the ones bound for the Temple Island spotted their tent. When they arrived, Alex startled awake, and for a moment he was terrified, then he realized who they were and woke Megan.
"Who are they?" she asked scared.
"They are my friends." The first thing the Med-jai did, was to get water into the children, and some food. Then each of the children, road with one of the brave warriors, who were headed back to Karnac, which was the rendezvous point. It took a half a days journey to get there, and theirs was the first group to arrive. The warriors set up a fire, and made a stew which both Alex and Megan devoured, and then made up camp, and both children shared a tent. Now they lay
talking
"What will happen with your dreams?" Megan asked.
"I'll sneak out tonight." he said not seeing his parents approach
"You most certainly will not," came his mothers voice. Alex nearly jumped out of his skin. Megan was glad to see them, Alex on the other hand was not all that happy.
"Thank god you two are safe," Evelyn said after a moment and hugged both of them.
"Mrs. O'Connell can we go home now?" Megan left Alex's side clearly not happy with him.
"We will leave first thing in the morning." It was dark out already, and for now Evelyn and Rick didn't say anything to Alex about punishment. He was quiet now as they left the two of them to sleep, he though about things. He knew the dreams would come if he went back to sleep, and being restless he left the tent, he and Megan shared, and went over to his parents.
"Mum, dad?" Evelyn told him to come in, and he did.
"I've decided that if I tell you about my dreams, that it might help me feel better." Evelyn and Rick made a space for him in between where they were sleeping and once he was snuggled with them he began.
"I have the same one now all the time. I keep seeing us at the pyramid, and I keep seeing you as you die". He took in a deep breath. "Then I see dad and he's crying. Then Lock-Nah keeps chasing me wanting to cut my wrist off, and they won't stop." That last word ended on a sob, and Evelyn held him in her arms letting him cry. When his tears subsided, Rick who had gone out of the tent came back with some water, and Alex sat up with mum's help and drank some.
"I'm so scared that something will happen to you, and that you'll die, and I won't have anyone left." Evelyn hugged him and Rick who sat next to them, pulled both of them into his arms.
"I know that was scary for you son," Rick said. "And your mom and I promise to take care not to put ourselves in dangerous situations." Evelyn nodded.
"Do I have to go back to school," This got a chuckle out of both of his parents.
"Yes, but your father and I will go talk to the Head Master about those boys, and don't you worry about them bothering you again," Evelyn said. He nodded.
"Am I in trouble." They both knew that would be his next question
"Your not going to go unpunished," Rick told him. Alex didn't like the sound of that
"What's my punishment?" He was getting tired.
"We'll discuss that when we get home." Rick was about to add more when Megan called out. Evelyn told her to come in, and this night both Children slept with them.
Epilogue:
Three months had passed since Alex's great adventure. He was back in school, and true to their word, his parents had made sure that the two boys, who had beat him up, were not aloud to bother him again. Alex and Megan both had to do odd jobs around their houses, to earn the money back that she had taken from her father, and were both restricted to their house for the month after their return.
Megan moved with her father to Paris, and wrote to Alex as often as she could. She liked her new stepmother, and they had plans to see each other again, but with adult help.
From all of this, Alex had learned that there was no shame in being afraid, and for the first few weeks after their return, he would start out sleeping in his bed, and end up with them. By talking about his dreams, and his fears, eventually they subsided. Now he was back to himself, still into mischief, but that was his nature.
THE END.
Authors note: I hope you guys liked this. I feel like I sort of lost steam at the end, but I made every effort to tie it together. Be looking for more stories by me in the near future :)